Design and Fabrication of a Tunable InP-based VCSEL using a Electro-Optic Index Modulator

C. Levallois, S. Richard, A. Le Corre, S. Loualiche, B. Caillaud, J.-L. de Bougrenet de la Tocnaye, L. Dupont
2006 International Conference on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials Conference Proceedings  
We present the first vertical surface emitting laser (VCSEL) operating at 1.55-µm comprising a electro-optic modulator inside its cavity. This material consists of nematic liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer material (nano-PDLC). This first VCSEL exhibits a 10 nm tuning range and an excellent side-mode suppression ratio higher than 20 dB over the whole spectral range. The device is formed by a conventional InP-based active region with an epitaxial and a dielectric Bragg mirror. The nano-PDLC
more » ... ayer length, close to 6 µm, is in agreement with a tunable laser emission without mode-hopping. Another decisive advantage, compared to mechanical solutions, is the tuning response time which is close to a few 10 µs to scan the full spectral range, making this device appropriate for some access network functions. This first version is optically pumped and requires 170 volts to obtain a 10 nm tunability.
doi:10.1109/iciprm.2006.1634112 fatcat:4hujplarprfj3a6kgutmz3ofji